Burning Love (Hell Yeah! Cajun Style), page 15
His cock jumped with the realization that she was offering to take it further – how much further he didn’t know. He had been lucky enough to feel her hands on his body once tonight, there was no use being greedy. The doctor’s words kept ringing in his ears – take it slow. Beau planned on keeping that promise, even if it killed him. “There is nothing – nothing in the world I want more.” He cupped the back of her head and kissed her cheek. “But tonight we weave the dreams and tomorrow – tomorrow we make them come true.”
“Okay,” Harley pulled her hand away from him so fast; it was as if burned her. Maybe, he didn’t want her hands on his body. She tried to reason with herself. And that was difficult as she lay in Beau’s arms. Trust in him warred with her own self-doubts.
Beau felt her tense up. “Stop. Right now, I know what you’re thinking.” He bumped his erection against her. “He wants you, and I want you – but this is too important. I want you to sleep in my arms tonight with the absolute assurance that I adore you. I would never hurt you and I want to play house with you more than anything in the world.”
“Play house?”
“Yes, I want to be with you, often. Eventually, I want it to be more – that is, if you think you could put up looking at my ugly mug all the time.”
“You’re beyond handsome, and you know it.” Although she still had some doubt – a lack of sexual self-confidence was too deeply ingrained, but she decided to believe him. Harley nestled down into his arms and sighed, letting all the tension and worry evaporate from her mind and body. And when she dropped off to sleep, her dreams were sweeter than they had ever been.
*****
“I can’t believe you brought my sniper rifle!” The surprised joy on Harley’s face was worth the extra thousand dollars Beau had forked over to gain them exclusive time at the shooting range. Special targets had been erected and other necessary precautions had been taken to ensure safety.
“My aim is to please, Ma’am,” he admired how she looked in tight jeans and a lacy top. His Nada was all woman, and if she could shoot – she was a wet-dream. Memories of last night kept flitting through his mind – the taste of her kiss, the way his body felt when she touched him - and the pure hell he had endured keeping his cock out of her pussy.
“Mr. LeBlanc, we’ve got you set up for 500, 800 and 1000 yard shooting. Hopefully, there’s everything you’ll need, if not, I’ll be up at the front office. You two have a good time.” Beau had almost forgotten the range manager was standing right by him. He looked down at his package and saw that he hadn’t embarrassed himself – yet. Hiding his grin, he wanted to laugh at himself. He had never been hard for so long, nor done without sex for this length of time. There was one thing for sure, he was going to have to get himself in check so he could give her all the pleasure she deserved.
“Thanks, Malcolm, I think I can figure everything out.” With a wave of the hand, the man was gone, leaving them – blessedly – alone. “Are you ready to try it out? The reaper conversion worked like a dream on this gun. It shoots damn well.”
She held out her hands for the rifle and it was all he could do not to offer to carry it for her, but she looked confident. “I see you have sand bags all set up for the shooting rest. That’s good – I shoot better from a prone position. Did you bring a spotting scope?”
Beau snorted – “I do this sort of thing for a living, Sugar Britches.”
“Of course you do, I’m sorry.” He could see that it was a strain for her to carry it, but she carried it well – not one complaint. “What are we going to do first?”
He steered her out to the range and helped her get set up to take the first shot. “Let’s do the 500, start off with something easy.” There were two shooting rests and two targets side-by-side waiting for them to test their mettle. Beau joined her on the ground, his own 380 in his hand. “You can go first, Treasure. And I’ll watch.”
“Let’s both go at the same time. Best out of five,” she gave him a cocky little grin. They put on their noise muffling headsets; the fancy kind that allowed them to hear and speak to one another and still be protected. “Ready?”
“You betcha, Baby,” he gave her a slow wink. “But if we’re going to do something at the same time, I think I’d rather cum.”
He said it so matter-of-factly that Harley almost missed it. Since he had stopped her from touching him last night, she had been afraid he might have changed his mind about wanting her. A tiny smile played around her lips - - apparently not. “I’m think I’m ready, Beau. I can’t wait for you to make me cum.” After dropping that bomb, she announced. “Ready? Aim! Fire!”
Fire? What? He couldn’t get past the incredible news that she was ready for him to give her an orgasm. Damn! “Ready?” She was ready? Hell, he wasn’t. He missed the first two shots; he knew he had because he wasn’t even aiming. “You did that on purpose!” To his delight, she broke into a fit of giggles.
“No, I just thought it, so I said it. Sorry. How did we do?”
“Who cares? You’re ready to let me touch you.” She was happy, which made him happy. Yes, he would own her orgasms before the sun went down. Looking through the scope, he exclaimed. “Damn, Baby. You’re good.” He wasn’t really surprised, but she had been right on the money – one bull’s eye and four within the smallest circle. He had two wild ones and three within the inner circle. They were a good match – just like he knew they would be.
As they moved on to the farther targets – the results didn’t change. Beau was completely enchanted. His Nada was more than capable. She was a top shot – and sexy as hell. After they had satisfied their friendly competition, Beau drove her into Natchitoches and they walked the banks of the Cane River and visited where the movie Steel Magnolias was filmed. He had seen it all before, but having her at his side made it a rare and wonderful experience, especially when she would rise up on tiptoe and kiss his cheek. They walked into an old fashioned mercantile that had everything in it from paintings by local artists to the kitchen sink – literally.
“I’m so happy, Beau. Thanks for bringing me. And I had a good time at the shooting range.”
Putting his arm around her, he pulled her close so another couple could pass them on the narrow aisle. “You are a true marksman. What other kinds of things did you have to do to qualify for Special Ops?” Actually, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. But – she belonged to him, he needed to know.
She turned in his arms and nestled close, laying her head on his chest. “I dive, I jump out of airplanes, I can run a mile and a half in ten minutes and do forty-two push ups in ninety seconds – or I used to could – I’m getting fat.” About that time, she goosed him and he fixed her wagon – he just picked her up and kissed her full on the mouth.
“You’re perfect, that’s what you are.” He knew she had told him all of that and then did something to take his mind off of it. And it worked – sorta, but he still didn’t like to think of her diving or jumping out of airplanes or dismantling explosive devices. Harley was too precious; she was his Nada and he didn’t know if he could survive if he lost her again. “Have you seen enough or are you ready to go back to the hotel. We’ll eat at the restaurant, they have excellent snapper and then we’ll head north to Uncertain, Texas.”
“Sounds good to me.” Holding hands, they walked back to his truck and he picked her up, placing her carefully in the seat and fastening the seatbelt. Taking her hand, he raised it to his lips and kissed her. She found it hard to breathe as he leaned in and whispered next to her face. “I know you’re capable of taking care of yourself. You are strong and sharp and talented beyond belief, but I crave to be the one you run to, the one you turn to when you need to be held. I want to be the man that makes all your dreams come true.”
Harley melted – resting her cheek next to his; she slipped an arm around his neck. “You’ve always been that man. I just didn’t know where you were or how to find you.”
*****
“Two for lunch, please.” Beau talked to the hostess and as she was checking her book, his cell phone rang. When he saw Dane Wagner’s name, he stepped outside to take the call. “Hey, Doc. I’m glad you called.”
“How’s my patient?”
Beau appreciated that Wagner called him instead of Harley. He wanted to help her through this – it was his highest priority. “Pretty good, we just got back from the shooting range and a sightseeing trip.”
“Great. The reason I called was to reinforce the point that you’ll have to gauge her response to you, and act accordingly. Be affectionate, but let her make the first moves. And it doesn’t have to be much of a move. If you get any indication that she is open to more sensual play, then go for it. Harley has extreme insecurity issues, so any advance she makes toward you might be so slight you would miss it in any other woman.”
“Oh, hell,” Beau could have kicked himself.
“Talk to me. What’s going on? How is she reacting to you?”
“Last night, she reached out to me. I had a hard-on and she touched me and offered . . .”
“Excellent, she’s feeling more confident.”
“I told her no,” Beau spat out the words. “You told me to take it slow.”
Dr. Wagner threw out a few choice phrases. “Going slow is critical, but her self-confidence is even more so. How is she reacting now? Has she withdrawn? Does she seem happy?”
“Slow down, Doc. You’re making me nervous.” Had he screwed up? “She’s been laughing and talking – she’s even been teasing me about having sex with her.” He remembered the comment she made at the shooting range.
Dane let out a long breath. “I hope so. Look, this isn’t your fault – it’s mine. For all extents and purposes, Harley is her own woman. I had no idea that she would feel free enough to make a move like that so soon. She must really trust you, LeBlanc.”
God, he hoped so. And to think he had pushed her back – reliving the moment made him feel like a first class heel. “So, what do I do? Should I try and reenact what happened last night – set the stage – or let Harley make her first move for the second time.” He knew he wasn’t hiding his frustration very well.
“Give her a little space, but don’t you dare give her a reason to doubt herself. Look at this from her point of view. Harley is feminine, affectionate and beautiful – yet all she has ever known from men is violence. If she reaches out to you, she is giving you a priceless gift – don’t make her regret it, or you’ll have to deal with me.”
Beau didn’t even argue with the doctor. If he fucked this up with Harley, he’d kick his own ass.
*****
Cypress Bend’s hotel was a beautiful place. As Beau saw to their lunch reservations, Harley walked around the lobby and admired the décor. So much glass – and the view of the golf course was spectacular. She moved around the lobby and saw that there were large statues of rabbits everywhere. This made her smile. She petted one, rubbing a hand over his ears and down his back. “You like that big ole’ bunny?” Beau asked as he nudged up against her. She loved the feel of their bodies touching.
“Yes, I love rabbits. I have two ceramic ones next to my fireplace back at Willowbend. Is our table ready?”
“Sure, come on.” He offered his arm and led her into the dining room. “Let’s sit by the window.” Since it was a weekday, the place wasn’t packed. After the waitress took their order, Beau decided to find out more about Socorro. “Tell me about the last time Socorro was called out?”
There were a lot of things she would rather have discussed with Beau, but these issues would have to be addressed sometimes, it might as well be now. “My last job was at one of the oil refinery storage facilities in Port Arthur, and before that it was at a high-rise construction site in Philadelphia.”
Beau watched a change come over her face. She set aside her vulnerable, soft nature and became capable and analytical. Perhaps this was necessary for her to be able to function in such a high-pressure environment. “I heard Dandi talking about it, but I didn’t catch the report. If I had known it was about you, I would have watched it.”
Harley folded and refolded her napkin. “The newscasters tend to be dramatic. Although both episodes could have been horrific and deadly, especially the one in Port Arthur, we were able to defuse them and halt the danger. The potential for widespread carnage was much higher at the refinery. The bomber used extremely volatile explosives – yet, it seems more like a game he’s playing rather than a cause he’s warring against. Frankly, I don’t think he’s trying to manipulate the price of oil or make some grand statement about our overseas policy or the environment.”
Beau buttered a piece of bread and broke off a chunk, offering it to her. Harley accepted it, licking his fingers in the process. Sitting here with him – discussing this – was absolutely precious to her. Oh, she had talked to Waco and government officials, even her mentor, but never with someone who valued her so completely.
“What does your gut tell you?”
She was having a hard time concentrating. Beau was magnetic; she was hungry to be closer to him and at least four women were openly gaping at him. Jealousy and possessiveness streaked through her – it was a brand new feeling. And she liked it. “My gut tells me that Fox Crocker isn’t dead. I have no proof other than what I can see with my own eyes. The placement of the wiring and the explosives is almost identical to schematics that he drew up when we were in training and learning about the possibilities we could face. Plus, the locales that he chose were meaningful to me. The way the bombs were placed would ensure that human intervention was necessary. I think the bombs were set to lure me, to involve me, specifically.” A stern, almost desperate look came over Beau’s face. Harley knew – instantly – that he was upset. She hadn’t meant to do that.
“I want you out of danger – whatever it takes.” He was about to say more, but their waitress arrived with their food.
He had said this before, so she knew it would be something they would have to work out, eventually. That is – if they were to have a future together. A future. Thoughts such as that were alien to her. But she could see it, vaguely – sharing a home, a life, maybe even a child. “I’m working on it.” That wasn’t quite true, yet, but she could make it true if the ghost of Fox Crocker would disappear. Beau looked like he wanted to lecture her, but he didn’t. Instead, he told her more about the day he had planned for them. She was listening – truly – but, he was just so damn sexy.
“We’ll finish up here and go up and pack. Check out time is in half an hour. We’re only a couple of hours away from Caddo Lake and I’ve rented us a cabin right on the water. You’ll love it. Caddo Lake is the largest natural lake in the South and used to be home to river boat ports.” Harley wasn’t seated across from him, rather she was to his left – and when he placed a hand on her knee and let it glide northward, every molecule of her body sizzled. “I’m going to take you on a moonlight boat ride. Can we neck?”
Lunch was over, as far as Harley was concerned. “I’d like that – yes.” Just the thought of kissing him made her heart pound and her breathing go shallow. “I can’t wait to kiss you again. Waiting till tonight seems like waiting for an eternity to pass.”
The sparkle of heat in her eyes told Beau this was an opportunity too sweet to pass up. “Hell, yeah,” Beau threw down his napkin and motioned for the waitress, meeting her halfway. Not waiting for the check, he handed her a fifty and came back for Harley. “Damn, Baby – let’s get out of here. I need to get you alone.”
As they walked, he rubbed her back – up and down. God – he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. She was quiet, God he hoped she didn’t change her mind. “What are you thinking, Sunshine?” The walk from the hotel to the golf suites seemed to take forever – his cock was growing by leaps and bounds.
“I’m thinking how happy I am and how lucky I am to be with you.” And how stupid I’m going to feel if you push me away, again. Of course, she didn’t say that part out loud. But - wow, she was brave. That was pretty plain speaking for her.
The reaction she got was unexpected – Beau groaned. “You have me, Baby. I’m playing for keeps. As far as what didn’t happen last night – I’ve counted myself a fool a thousand times already.” He gently backed her up against their door. “Believe me; I’ll never make that mistake again. I was just trying to be considerate and be a gentleman. What I should have done was get down and kiss your feet and tell you what a lucky son-of-a-bitch I am.”
About that time, somebody walked past and Beau pulled back, quickly letting them in. As he opened the door, it was apparent the maid had been there. All the candles and petals were gone and the room was spiffed up and clean. The bed was remade and looked inviting and images of sleeping next to him made a shiver pass over her body.
“So, what can I do for you, Precious?” He pushed her hair back over her shoulder. “I’ll do anything and everything you’ll allow.”
Inhaling once, deeply – she pushed aside her anxiety and went after what she wanted. If she didn’t take risks, she would never gain the prize – Beau. “I want to sit in your lap like you asked me to at Willowbend. I’ve been dreaming of what I missed.”
He was easily led. “Oh Honey – I can definitely do that.” Moving to the couch, he sat down and pulled her close. Before she knew it, he had taken her by the waist and set her astraddle his legs, facing him.
“Are you sure I won’t mash you?” She could feel his manhood beneath her. “I could sit a little farther back,” she suddenly felt very awkward.
“Don’t you move,” instead he drew her closer. Yeah, that was better. Harley might be protesting a little, but her nipples had a mind of their own. They were poking out hard and anxious like they were begging to be noticed. He noticed. Before he could stop himself, he was pressing his dick into her softness – lifting his hips, pumping against her, letting her know that he was helplessly, hopelessly at her mercy.
